Cosmetic products, which enhance the appearance of skin, are increasingly in demand. Consumers are interested in mitigating or delaying the signs of chronologically or hormonally aged skin, as well as seeking alternatives to the costly and sometimes risky medical techniques currently available. Among the various changes that occur with dermatological aging, is the gradual loss of fat in the skin. The loss of fat, and in particular, facial fat, can result in a variety of undesireable conditions or symptoms including, for example, sagging skin, deepening appearance of wrinkles, dry skin, lack of skin tone, firmness, or plumpness, and thinning skin. The stimulation of fat production by novel materials is a desired benefit in cosmetic products to address such problems.
Active ingredients derived from plants and plant seeds have commonly been employed in topical compositions for a myriad of medicinal, therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Such actives can be obtained from various parts of a plant such as seeds, needles, leaves, roots, bark, cones, stems, rhizomes, callus cells, protoplasts, organs and organ systems, and meristems. Active ingredients are incorporated in such compositions in a variety of forms. Such forms include a pure or semi-pure component, a solid or liquid extract or derivative, or a solid plant matter. Plant matter may be minced, ground, crushed, or otherwise physically modified for incorporation into a composition. The functional use of these materials to stimulate lipogenensis is novel and useful for the cosmetic industry.
Safe, effective and new components of compositions to treat, prevent, reduce, inhibit, and/or improve the dermatological signs of aging, associated with the loss of subcutaneous fat, would be advantageous for the formulation of treatments and products for the skin. As described herein, novel and beneficial methods and compositions, as well as their mode of action, for the treatment of loss of facial fat and sagging skin and the like, as well as for personal care products for the skin, are provided by the present invention.